Animal trap



May 20, 1924V R. B. MURPHY ANIMA;J TRAP. Filed June 22 1923 fyi d .2 v/lf ,i a a d i.. 9 3 I. J' /V i e -2Z Q. ally/, Muff/.9h v

ATTORN EY WITNESSES Patented May 2o, 1924.

srares RoLLY BUCK'MU'RPHY, or. ELDORADO, .aanansas;

T0 all 'whom t may concern.

Be it known that l, Roem.7 BUCK MURPHY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Eldorado, in the county of Union State or' Arkansas, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Animal Traps, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my said invention is the provision of an animal trapadapted to hold the leg of a caught` animal more securely thanthc trapsextant, this with a view to averting the animal escaping by cutting Offthe portion of its leg below the jaws and pulling the stump. or theflesh and skin at the end thereof through and out of engage-- ment withYthe jaws. V

To the attainment of the foregoing .the"invention consists in a trapcomprising'two sets of jaws, the jaws of eachset being adapted to engagethe leg oit an animal at right' angles to theA jaws of the other` set soas to preclude the escape of the animal even if' it cuts away theportion of the caught leg below the jaws.

The invention also consists in the im proved trap as a whole, ashereinafter described and deinitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, formin part of this specification :-V

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating tne trap constituting the preferredembodiment of my invention as the same appears when set.

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the trap as it appears after it issprung.

Figure 3 is a diametrical section of the spring trap in sprung state.

Figure 4 is a broken plan view of the set trap with the pan removed andthe jaws 8 omitted.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all ofthe views of the drawings.

Among other elements my novel trap comprises two plates 1 and 2 arrangedat right angles to each other and appropriately iXed with respect toeach other, the plate 1 being larger than the plate 2 in about theproportion illustrated, and both plates having upturned end portionswith apertures therein, the said end portions of the plate 1 beingnumbered 3, 'and those of the plate 2 being numbered 4. The trap alsocomprises a pan 5 to support bait, anda trigger 6, the said pan andtrigger being preferably, though not necessarily, constructed and rela-ANIMAL TRAP.

Application led .TuneV 22, 1923,' Serial No. 847,184.

tively arranged# as illustrated. `The trap Jfurther comprises outer jaws7 and inner jaws 8 together with spring means 9, land an anchor chain10, Ythe vlatter Abeing connected through thevmedium of' a swivel' 11 toone of the end portions 3 of the"plate 1.

invention resides chiefly in the pro` i vision of the two sets of jaws 7Vand 8, and by particular reference to Figure 1 it will be noted thatlthe jaws 7 are provided ywith vintermediate enlargements 12 in which areapertures 13, and are pivotally mountedon bars 1:4V arranged in theplate portions 3. The comparatively' small l jaws f8 lare"provide'dwvith terminal journals 15V disposed andV adapted to turn abouttheir axes inthe be noted that' one of the jaws 8 is arranged to beengaged and held in set position by the trigger 6. AVhen the trap is setas 'illustrated the jaws 8 rest above the intermediate `portions 4 ofthe plate 2, .and it will .also "Y portions 'ofk the jaws andtherebyholdpthe jaws 7fdown inset position asappears in Figure `1. Vhen,however, the trap Ais sprung through themedium ofY the pan. 5 andtrigger 6 releasingthe jaw 8 retained bythe trigger, the spring means 9which may comprise anyg'appropriate number of springs will operate topowerfully lclose the jaws 8 and the jaws 7, in the order named,

the apertured portions 12 of the jaws 7 travf elling to ,closed positionon the arcuateportions of the jaws'8. v

As shown the spring means includes four coiled .springs on the bars 14,said bars 14 being fixed to the plate 1. Each of said springs has one ofits terminals disposed under the plate 2 and its other terminal arrangedunder one of the jaws 7, Figures and 4.

Manifestly in virtue of my novel trap embodying the two pairs of jawsarranged to act at right angles to each other it will be observed thatthe leg of a caught animal will be engaged at four sides by the jaws,

with the releasing advantage hereinbefore definitely pointed out. Itwill also be observed that the enlarged intermediate portions 12 of thejaws 7 will engage the leg of a caught animal through a considerablelength thereof and in that way will contribute to the strength andsecurity by which the animal is held. At 16 on the jaws 7 are portionswhich afford efficient thumb holds vfor use in setting theV trap, and inthis connection I would have itl understood that in j the preferredembodiment of my invention the outermost parts of the said portions 12are ribbed or knurled as shown to prevent slipping of the thumbs. Y

Notwithstanding the practical advantage ascribed to my novel trap, itwill be apparent that the trap is simple and inexpensive inconstruction, isadapted to beset with facility and is well adapted asawholerto withstand the treatment to which traps for coon, mink, otter,muslrrat and other animals are ordinarily siibjeoted.

I have entered into a detail description of the constructionxandrelative arrangement of the parts embraced in the present and `preferredembodiment vof my invention in order to impart a full, clear and exactunderstanding of the said embodiment. Ido not desire, however, to beunderstood as coniiing myself to the specific construction and Yrelativearrangement of parts inasmuch as inthe future practice of theinventionvarious changes and AmodificationsV may Vbe made such as fallwithin the scope of'V my invention as defined in myappended claims.

'Having described my invention, what I Vclaim vanddesire to secure byLetters-Patent, is z n 1. An animal trap comprising plates arranged at,rightA angles to each other and having apertured upstanding endportions, a pan, a'trigger, spring means, andtwopairs of jaws, the jawsyof each pair movable at vright angles to each other andipivotallyconnected withsaid upturnedplate portions and onepa-ir Vof jaws havingarcuate portions,

rand'one aw of one pair being arranged to be engaged and detachably heldbythe trigger, andthe jaws of the other pair beingpro vided' withapertured intermediate portions Vadapted when the trap is sprung totrave-lr V the jaws t0 hold all of tion.

- of jaws,- the jaws to closed position on `the arcuate-portions ofV thejaws of the other pair.

2. VAn animal trap comprising ranged at right angles to eachother andplates arhaving apertured upstanding endV portions,

closedv position on the arcuate portions of Y theijaws of the otherpair.

3. VAn animal trap'comprisin'g two pairs of jaws, means on the jaws .ofone pair for closing the jaws of the other pair on ino've- Y ment, ofthe first-named pair, means for powerfully moving the iirst-named pairof jaws, and means detachab'ly engaging oneol the jaws in set posi` Lil.AnV animal trap comprising jtwo provided with arcuate portions, meansdel tachabljr engaging one of the'` jaws to hold all of the' jawsin setposition and means' for powerfully moving all of .the jaws to closed Yposition when the engaged jaw isi released; 75

the jaws of each pair being movable to' closed position at rightanglesV` to th'e jaws lofthe' otheipair, and the j awsi of one pair'having ape'rtured intermediate portionsmovable to closed position on?the arcuate portions of the a'ws of the other pair.

RoLLYl BUCK iii'iinrifirl- Y pairs of Aone pair being

